A/N: Hey, gang. I am very, very sorry this is so long in coming and very, very sorry the chapter is short. My Nana has been in the hospital for the last two weeks, so I have not had a lot of time to focus on writing. However, she is doing better and I should have another chapter up by the end of this weekend. Thanks for sticking with me and thank you for all the encouragement! I always accept constructive criticism, so keep it coming. Enjoy!

Chapter III: Infusco

Chas stared. He stared across the street, stared at the people arguing. He recognized Mahina, knew he should be concerned for her as she struggled against the grip…his grip… his…did he know that? He couldn't tell from here…couldn't make the shape out…couldn't see the face…

Chas collapsed to his knees, one hand pressed against his chest. He felt like a chasm had ripped open inside him and the hollowness was eating away at him, carving out little pieces of him that he couldn't afford to lose again.

"No…" he gasped. Images flashed in his mind, but there was nothing for him to hold onto. He was disappearing, and suddenly he knew that this wasn't the first time. This was what happened to him before. This…happened to him before; it wasn't some freak accident, it was intentional because he had been…he had been with…

Mahina was halfway across the street, halfway between one end of the spectrum and the other, when she realized what was happening to Chas.

"Oh, shit." She muttered. She broke into a run, not bothering to see if Constantine was still behind her or not.

The earth rumbled, the angry vibrations shaking the street and throwing Mahina off balance. She forced herself forward, ignoring people as they cried out in alarm and headed for doorways. Doorways would do nothing to protect them if this happened now. It couldn't happen now, not like this, not without Constantine to balance it. She knew she was running out of time as she hit the steps of the library, the sound of her heels growing hollow as they struck the granite. His eyes were already black and fathomless.

Her body collided with his, knocking them sideways but not all the way over. Her nails dug into his skin and her breath was hot on his neck giving him footholds back into a tangible reality. He grasped at her, fighting his way out but it wasn't enough. He could feel himself coming apart at the seams.

"Fatum claudo!" she shouted. She repeated it, over and over until she thought she'd loose her voice, or worse her mind. She could feel frustration rising in her body. This was supposed to be working, she had the power to do this!

It wasn't enough. Not for Chas, not without…

A hand descended on her shoulder and sent a shock straight through her body and into the body she was holding onto. Chas cried out and went slack. Mahina wasn't prepared to have all his weight and he slid boneless to the stone beneath him.

For an endless second, the world was still. Chas lay motionless on the ground. Constantine stared at him, and his breath hitched in his throat.

"Is he…" he whispered, fingers still clutching the girl's shoulder.

"No." Mahina gasped, sweat dripping off her forehead. She resituated herself to sit and lean her elbows back on the step behind her. She sucked in a deep breath and let it out. "Get out of here, Constantine."

He shot her a dark look and moved past her.

"Are you ready to deal with the ramifications?" she asked softly. "He's not exactly the same, you know."

John knelt by Chas and reached out as if to touch his forehead before pulling back. "Do you know what it's like to lose your closest friend? The only person you really trust? This is Chas." He looked at her. "I don't know what you know about me or him or anything that happened, but I'm done waiting. I'm taking him home, and there isn't a damn thing you can do to stop it."

John finally let his hand fall to Chas's forehead and sighed. He slid an arm under Chas's shoulders, and one under his knees. As gently as he could he picked the younger man up, and Mahina was sure that at that moment God Himself could descend and offer John the ticket up and the man would refuse.

She forced herself up and glared at him. "I am going to be in so much trouble for this." She grumbled. "Look, go ahead and take him. This was bound to happen eventually. But pay very close attention to what I'm going to tell you, 'cause I'm only going to say this once and if you screw up you'll get a bigger version of what just happened here."

She leaned close to him and lowered her voice. "The first thing he's got to hear from you when he wakes up is his name. Call him by name, or kiss this dimension goodbye, got that?"

John nodded. "Why?"

"I don't write the rules, John, I just follow them. Now get out of here before we all get killed."

Constantine decided that more questions could wait. He could find the girl again if he needed too. He turned and walked away from the building, ignoring all the people who had stopped to stare at them.

Mahina rubbed her temples and glared at the few remaining bystanders who were wondering why the boy had collapsed and where the tall man in black was taking him.

"What are you staring at?" she challenged, and they dispersed.

She had to shower and change and then go face an angry Half-breed.

Michael was going to kill her.